Horseshoe-pad



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. S. STARKWEATHER.

HORSESHOE PAD.

No. 322,861. Patented July 21, 1885.

v 2/14 9161)? 36" 792-5726863631 Z ,2? 7- 3 fwenior. mm am JAWKW odmwayi fiflm (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. S. STABKWEATHER.

HORSESHOE PAD.

No. 322,861. Patented July 21, 1885.

NIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN S. STARKWEATHEB, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HORSESHOE-PAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,861, dated July 21,1885.

Application filed April 4, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN S. STARK- WEATHER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHorseshoe- Pads, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved pad or cushion to be employed inconjunction with a metallic horseshoe. It is interposed between the shoeand the forward part of the hoof, and at the same time is so constructedas to have a thickened part under the rear portion of the hoof below thefrog.

Cushions or pads of various styles have been in use heretofore; but inone respect or another I have found that they have incident to themdisadvantages which I have overcome.

Figure l is a bottom view of the cushion or pad detached. Fig. 2 is aside view showing the pad and shoe in place upon the hoof. Fig. 3 is atop view. Fig. 4 is a section on line as 00, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a bottomview of a modification. Fig. 6 is a section on line y y, Fig.5. Figs. 7,8, 9 are respectively perspectives of modified forms.

In the drawings, A represents the forward part of the pad or cushion,this being more or less ring-like and comparativelythin and flat, therebeing an opening at the center, as shown at a.

I prefer to do away with the sheets or plates of one material or anotherwhich have been heretofore used, and which have extended over the entireunder surface of the hoof, although some of the advantages of my devicemay be obtained if such a sheet or plate were employed.

By having the large central aperture, a, I provide sufficientcirculation of air under the hoof, and prevent the heating and drawingwhich have been great objections incident to many of the pads heretoforein use.

By examining Fig. 3 it will be seen that the upper surface of the pad isflat, and therefore there can be a free circulation of air by the sidesof the frog, the recesses or passage-ways permitting the air to pass toor from the aperture a.

The .part A-around the front of the aperture a is not formed withflanges, as has been customary in some cases heretofore-that is to say,the inner edge, a, of this ring-like part A does not extend down tothebottom surface of the shoe, as will be clearly seen by examining Fig.3-said edge a, upon the inside being substantially of the same width asthe outer edge, a (see Figs. 7, 8, and 9,) although it need not be ofexactly the same thickness, so long as it does not extend downwardsufficiently far to press upon the ground inside of the shoe.

That portion of the pad or cushion which lies below the rear part of thehoof (inside of the rear ends of the shoe) is formed with the parts B BB, these being made integrally with V the forward thinnerpart, A. Thepart B lies under the frog, and the parts B B project forwardthey, infact, providing the rear wall for the aperture (1.

Use has been heretofore made of a pad having a bulbousdownwardly-extending projection beneath the frog, the ends or edges ofwhich are rounded or sloped away from the central part, as shown, forinstance, in Patent No. 179,952, to George W. Phillips; and I do notclaim as my invention a pad constructed as therein shown and described.In the device alluded to the bulbous projection has not been extendeddownwardly so' as to lie below the shoe under normal circumstances.

My pad is intended to overcome objections which have been found incidentto 'those of the character last referred to. I so construct the partsthat the portion B B B shall not only receive the frog-pressure, butwill also act as a stay or abutment to prevent either end of the shoefrom being forced inward. There are squareor perpendicular walls 7),against which the ends of the shoe can be snugly fitted, said walls,together with horizontal walls b b, forming recesses by the side of thethicker part B B. These recesses permit the use either of a longshoe-that is to say, one having its ends extended to the rear edge ofthe heel, as shown in Fig. 2 at O-or the use of a shorter one, suchshoes being used under some circumstances to increase the frogpressure.

Not only does the thickerpart of the pad said patent.

- edges of the metal shoe.

act as aforesaid in regard to the ends of the shoe, by reason of itsbeing formed without rounded or sloping edges, but with square shouldersor ends fitting snugly the ends of the shoe; but, moreover, the shoe inturn insures that the pad shall not be displaced relatively to the shoeor hoof, there being a great tendency for such displacement to occur,owing to the fact that the thicker part of my pad is so shaped as to actas a calk wherewith the hoof can have a grip or secure hold.

It will be seen that the parts B B project forward, and as they extenddownward considerably they act as calks to prevent a slipping forward,and the inner edges of these and the outer edges at the top of the wallsor shoulders I) act as calks to prevent lateral slipping.

I am also aware of the fact that a pad has been. heretofore made havinga part to lie between the shoe and the hoof, said part being divided atthe front end and having an elongated part below the frog, and having aflange with a beveled inner wall extendingentirely around the centralaperture, such pad being shown, for instance, in Patent N 0. 212,069, toW. A. Taylor; nor do I claim as my invention a pad constructed with thefeatures therein shown; but I have found that when the article possessesthe features of construction which I have devised and herein shown itaccomplishes the ends at which I aim far more effectively than if use bemade of the device shown in In the latter the surface of the frog-pad isone and the same with the surface of the aforesaid flange extendingaround the central aperture, and therefore it is impossible for thefrog-pad proper to have the gripping action along its lower edges whichis incident to mine by reason of the aforesaid downward and forwardprojecting calks B B, which, it will be seen, extend to pointsconsiderably below any of the rubber at the front part of the hoof. As aresult, I attain a greater security of hold for the foot than if use bemade of a narrow thin flange around the central aperture extending tothe same depth as the frog-pad proper, which was incident to the articlelast above alluded to, as heretofore known.

Another important difference is that in these pads alluded to, asheretofore known, the purpose has been to have all of the downwardpressure of the foot received upon rubber from toe to heel, theaforesaid, flange extending to the toe and also extending downward topoints considerably below the shoe at the toe; hence all of the pressureof the foot is received by the rubber, the latter turning outward .andlying between the metal shoe and the ground, there resulting not only aless secure grip, but also a rapid cutting away of the rubber, it beingconstantly pressed and rubbed against the In my construction, on thecontrary, I construct the rubber at the rear to extend considerablybelow any of the rubber at the forward part, so that the metal shoeitself can receive the pressure and the blows at the toe,while therubber receives all of the pressure at the frog. I prefer to have anordinary metal calk upon the shoe itself, as shown in Fig. 2, both itand the frog-pad at the rear extending downward sufficiently far toreceive the pressure at the various points in the way described.

As shown, the concavity between the parts B B is curvilinear; but itwill be readily understood that the same effect can be largely attainedif it be otherwise shaped, and that some of the same advantages may beobtained even if the front edge of the thicker part be more nearlystraight, so long as the surfaces and edges at that part aresufficiently well defined to insure a grip for the hoof. So, too, it isnot absolutely essential that the front wall of the parts B B- shouldextend continuously to the top of the aperture a, although I prefer tohave it so for convenience in manufacture.

To increase the capacity of the pad to act as calks, it may be recessed,as shown, at b 12 and the recesses may extend entirely to the walls b b,as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 8; or ribs or projections may be left, asshown at b If in Figs. '1, 4, and 7.

One of the numerous other pads which have been heretofore known is shownin Patent N 0. 245,658, to Reidy, and one in Patent N 0. 226,848, toGrece; and I do not wish to be understood as claiming such articles asmy invention; but the differences in construction and use between onelike mine, upon the one hand, and either of those last above mentioned,on the other, I believe to be so apparent that it is not necessary tohere set them forth in detail.

What I claim is 1. An elastic hoof pad or cushion having the thinnerpart A for the toe of the hoof, a central open aperture, a, the edgewalla of which is constructed, substantially as set forth, to lie abovethe lower surface of the shoe, and

having the thicker part B B below the rear part of the hoof and betweenthe rear ends of the shoe, the calks B B projectingforward from the partB and downward'below all of the forward or toe part of the rubber,and'the said thicker rear part, B B, extending out squarely to the inneredges of the shoe, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the shoe, of the elastic hoof-pad having thethinner part 12 adapted to be secured to the hoof by the shoenails, andthe thicker part B B, the side walls, I), of which fit squarely againstthe inner edges of the shoe, said part B B extending to a point belowthe rear ends of the shoe, and having at the front thereof verticalwalls or edges extending down below the forward parts of the pad, theparts being constructed and arranged, substantially as set forth,wherebythe metallic shoe at the front rests upon the ground, and the rubber atthe rear rests upon the ground, substantially as set forth.

8. An elastic hoof pad or cushion having the thinner part b adapted tolie between the shoe In testimony whereof I affix rny signaturein andthe hoof, and the thicker part to lie below presence of two witnesses.the frog and receive the pressure thereof, it

being formed with the central part,B,eXtend- MARTIN S. STARKWEATHER. ingbelow the shoe, the recesses 7) b and the ribs or projecting part b badjacent to the Witnesses:

metal shoe, all of the said parts of the pad be- J OSEPH GODDARD,

ing integral, substantially as set forth. GEO. G. LEAOH.

